CRIME PREVENTION BY THE INDETERMINATE SENTENCE LAW

• NCJ Number: 2061
• Author(s): E HODGES
• Date Published: 1970
• Length: 10 pages
• Corporate Author: System Development Corporation
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Statistics
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: PAPER PRESENTED AT AMER PSYCHIATRIC ASSN ANNUAL MEETING, WASHINGTON, DC, MAY 7, 1970

Annotation

RESULTS OF A STUDY MADE OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE MARYLAND DEFECTIVE DELINQUENT STATUTE.

Abstract

THE DEFECTIVE DELINQUENT STATUTE PROVIDES AN INDETERMINATE SENTENCE FOR OFFENDERS WHO ARE EXAMINED AND FOUND TO BE MENTALLY AND SOCIALLY DEFICIENT OR WHO ARE INTELLIGENT BUT COMPULSIVELY, REPEATEDLY, AND OR DANGEROUSLY CRIMINAL IN THEIR BEHAVIOR. DEFECTIVE DELINQUENTS ARE HOUSED AT THE PATUXENT INSTITUTION, THAT COMBINES PRISON SECURITY WITH THE THERAPEUTIC MILIEU OF A MENTAL HOSPITAL. THE STUDY COMPARED THE RECIDIVISM RATES OF A GROUP OF DEFECTIVE DELINQUENTS WITH THOSE OF OFFENDERS RELEASED FROM REGULAR MARYLAND CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS. THE AUTHOR CONCLUDES THAT THE DATA FROM THIS STUDY TENDS TO CONFIRM THE ASSUMPTION THAT A SEGMENT OF THE CRIMINAL POPULATION CAN BE IDENTIFIED WHICH PROBABLY WILL COMMIT FUTURE CRIMES IF RELEASED AFTER A FIXED SENTENCE. THE INDETERMINATE SENTENCE LAW APPEARS REASONABLY SUCCESSFUL IN ACHIEVING THE DUAL PURPOSE OF PROTECTING SOCIETY FROM THE DEFECTIVE DELINQUENT WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY HANDLING HIM MORE EFFECTIVELY AND HUMANELY. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)